Improvement in spring bed-bottoms



` S. H. REEVES. SPRING BED-Bowm.

Patented June13,1a7e.

SAMUEL H. REEVES, OF BROOKLYN, NENV YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPR-ING BED-BOTTOMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,671, dated June 13, 1876; application filed December 18, 1575.`

To all whom it may concern Beit known thaty I, SAMUEL H. REEvEs, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and lmproved Spring Bed- Bottom of which the following' is a description: v

My invention consists in the combination of a bottom surface` or frame-work composed of a number of longitudinral slats, cross-slats tying or uniting the sameat their ends, spiral or helical springs attached .to the said bottom. frame-work, and a tdp or resting-surface coruposed of the top coils of the said springs, a series of single links connecting said coils of the springs in such manner as to preserve their relative arrangement without interfering with their independent action, and an inclosing frame or rim attached to the outer rows of the springs,wherebyI produce arelnarkably light, cheap, spring bed-bottom, ill-adapted to harbor vermin, and having'atall points an inde' pendently-yielding surface' resembling that of a feather bed. i,

rlhe accompanying drawing represents my improved spring bed-bottom, lnade so that it is capable of being folded laterally at or near the middle of its width.

Figure l is a plan of the top or resting surface of such a spring' bed-bottom. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the'bottom surface or frame-work ofthe same, and Fig. 3 is a trans- Averse section of the said spring bed-bottom when folded. Y

Similar letters of reference designate corre sponding parts in all the figures.

A A' designate two sets of parallel slats, preferably made of hoop-iron and extending lengthwise of the spring bed-bottom. The set of slats A are tied or united at their respective ends by cross-slats B,Ypreferably of the same material, and secured in place by rivets or otherwise. The slats A' are likewise tied or united at their ends by similar cross-slats B'. In this manner a bottom surface or framework, composed of two similar but entirely distinct sections or pa-rts, is formed. The' meeting ends of the cross-slats B and B' are preferably provided with butts or upturned Atip's a, as repre- 1 sented in Fig. 3, to prevent them from slipping over one another. Slats C C', arranged obliquely across each set of slats, A or A', serveto brace them together, but may be dispensed with when desirable. The slats of the bedstead take the place of the crossslats usually employed in conjunction with longitudinal slats to support the springs of the bed-bottom. Hence the bottom frame-work is simplified and rendered lighter and cheaper. D D' designate a number of spiral springs arranged in two series or sets, lettered, respectively, D and D', and secured, at the apex or small end, to the sets of slats Afand A' by means of clasps and rivets or other suitable means. The top coils of the springs D, forming one set, are connected in diagonal lines or rows by links E, consisting of short pieces of wire, having their ends clasped or bent around the same, and the top coils ofthe springs D' are similarly connected by links E'. The office of these links is to preserve the relative arrangement of the springs of the. bed-bottom without materially interfering with their independent action un-l der pressure, and they accomplish this far better than chains, twine, or webbing could do, for, by their stiffness, they hold the springs away from one another, besides connecting them together, and withal allow them to yield independently under pressure. F designates links or loops connecting the adjacentslongitudinal rows of springs E E' loosely together,

allowing the springs of each set E or E' to' yield independently of those in the other set. G G' designate two sections of a rectangular frame or rim, which preferably have round corners, are connected by hinge-joints b, and

secured by clips and rivets, or in any other suitable manner, to the -top coils of the outer rows of springs.

It is obvious that the spring bed-bottom thus made consists, essentially, of two'longitudinal sections, A B D E Gr and A' B' D' E' G', and that it may he folded laterally, one section on the other, as illustrated iu Fig. 3. It may,

however, be made without provision for folding, in which case the bottom surface or framework will not bel divided into sections, the springs need not be arranged in two series, and the frame or rim of the top or resting-surface need not-consist of two sections.

The advantages possessed by this improved spring bed-bottom are numerous. Each spring being free to yield independently of the others,

the whole top or resting surface is capable of` adapting itself to the contour of the person lying upon it. Hence it affords the greatest possible comfort, and thereby greatly induces sleep. It weighs but little compared with other spring bed-bottoms, its bottom frame being of very simple construction, thesprin gs few in number, and the top or resting surface for folding laterally facilitates packing for transportation, and also the cleaning ot' a bedstead on which it may be used, because, in# stead ot havingto be lifted bodily, `it may be folded one section on the other, as before eX,- plained, and when thus folded it will remain in this condition, and will not fall back again like a spring bed-bottom composed of` a nurnber of sections, and adapted tobe rolled 11p,

and therefore does not need to be held while the bedstead is being cleaned. In short, this spring bed-bottom, having a resting-surface which will perfectl-y adapt itself to the contour of the person resting upon it, and having a simple bottom frame-Work and few springs, combines the advantagesof lightness and cheapness with the greatest possible comfort, and hence meets a Want experienced by a large portion of the public.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

`The spring bed-bottom, composed of a bottom surface or frame-work, consisting of 1ongitudinal slats, tied or united by cross-slats, a number of spiral or helical springs secured to said bottom frame-work, links connecting the top coils of the said springs, and a frame or rim attached to the top coils of the outer rows of said springs, the whole` combined and organized substantially as and"fo13the purposes herein set forth.

' SAML. H. REEVES.

Witnesses:

' T. J. KEANE,

i J oHN J. ADAMS. 

